1. Field of The Invention
This invention is directed to the use of alkali metal N-halo-alkanesulfonamides as bleaching agents for removing stains from non-white stained materials.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Many bleaches which efficiently and effectively remove stains from non-white goods such as fabrics, most often damage the color by attacking the dyes used in these goods.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,554 describes alkali metal N-halo-alkanesulfonamides having bleaching and antiseptic properties and capable of being formulated in bleaching and detergent compositions and represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein X is chlorine or bromine, M is an alkali metal, and R is an alkyl having from 1 to about 22 carbon atoms. These compounds are prepared by reacting an alkanesulfonamide with an alkali metal hypochlorite or hypobromite. The patent additionally states that the compounds may be prepared by reacting an alkanesulfonamide with an alkali metal hydroxide and hypochlorous or hypobromous acid and the resulting alkali metal N-halo-alkanesulfonamide thereafter recovered.
The patent also states that the N-halo compounds are especially suitable for use in granular detergent compositions, in particular in heavy duty granular detergent compositions. In column 6 of the patent, a formulation is set forth containing the N-halo compound. The patent then states that the product is suitable for washing soiled white goods, e.g., table linen and bed linen at normal washing machine temperatures. This patent does not disclose the use of the alkali metal N-halo-alkanesulfonamides to remove stains from non-white materials.